Optimized electric vehicle battery charging

Abstract

An onboard battery charging system including battery system and battery controller protection mechanisms and providing battery charge optimization where the protection portions of the system use an input isolation mechanism to isolate the vehicle power input from the battery controller upon detection of deviant charge voltages and a battery isolation mechanism to isolate the battery controller from the batteries upon detection of cyberattacks resulting in deviant charge power being provided to the batteries and where the charge optimization portions of the system use the same input isolation mechanisms as are employed for the vehicle system protection input isolation to regulate the timing of vehicle charging as a function of electricity prices.

1 . A battery charging system that isolates the charger input from the battery controller upon detection of a charge voltage that is out of specification, that isolates the input from the battery controller upon detection of a cyberattack, that prioritizes onboard charging capabilities over grid power, that isolates the battery controller from the battery upon detection of a cyber-attack, that normally prioritizes use of off peak grid power over peak grid power and that allows a user to disable the prioritization of the off peak grid power over peak grid power. 
     
     
         2 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said system restores the connection of the charger input to the battery controller after confirmation that the charge voltage is returned to within specification. 
     
     
         3 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said system reconnects the input to the battery controller after confirmation that said cyber-attack is no longer active. 
     
     
         4 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said system allows said user to specify a minimum charge level to be attained before activation of the automated control of the charge prioritization features. 
     
     
         5 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein onboard power generation capabilities are estimated as a function of predicted weather. 
     
     
         6 . A battery charging arrangement for a battery system of an electric vehicle, said battery charging arrangement having an input within said vehicle for receipt of electric charging power from outside said vehicle, a sensor for detecting the voltage received at said input, a switch for selectively connecting said input to or isolating said input from said battery system, and a controller for normally operating said switch to connect said input to said battery system when the voltage received is within a range of voltages suitable for operation of said battery system and for operating said switch to isolate said input from said battery system when the voltage received is outside said range of voltages. 
     
     
         7 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said sensor continues to monitor the input voltage when isolation is active and restores the connection after the input voltage returns to within said range of voltages. 
     
     
         8 . A battery charging arrangement for a battery system of an electric vehicle, said battery charging arrangement having an input within said vehicle for receipt of electric charging power from outside said vehicle, a sensor for detecting the voltage received at said input, a switch for selectively connecting said input to or isolating said input from said battery system, and a controller for operating said switch to isolate said input from said battery system when the voltage received is indicative of a charging fault.